Lvov Photos

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A Note About These Photos

Almost all the pictures here are scans I made myself in the 1990s from a Soviet-era book printed back in the 1980s. If you spot any errors in my descriptions, or know any fun facts about these places, I’d be happy to hear from you—just send me an email.

I know Soviet Lvov can be a complicated topic, but for me, these images are full of memories from the city where I grew up. They remind me of ordinary days, familiar streets, and simple joys of that time. I hope you enjoy this little journey through Lviv’s past—maybe it’ll bring back some memories for you too, or just let you see the city from a different angle.

Soviet-era street scene at Svobody Avenue and Mickiewicz Square in central Lviv, with classic cars and historic city buildings, 1970s–1980s — A busy Soviet-era intersection in Lviv city center, likely showing Svobody Avenue meeting Mickiewicz Square, with the distinctive city center tower, historic George Hotel(Готель Жорж / Hotel George), and classic cars typical of the 1970s or early 1980s.

Svobody Avenue (Prospekt Svobody) was once *Hetmańska* and *Ringplatz* (under Polish and Austrian rule), renamed Lenin Avenue in 1959, and given its present name in 1991.

Mickiewicz Square (Ploshcha Mitskevycha) was previously called Ferdinandplatz and Adama Mickiewicza Platz.

Snowy winter street with trams and historic buildings in central Lviv during the Soviet era — Lviv trams on a snowy street, Soviet era (likely 1970s–80s).
This wintry scene shows classic Lviv trams running through deep snow past ornate historic buildings in the city center—likely on **Zamarstynivska Street** (Замарстинівська), an important north–south route in Lviv. The street was known as Zamarstynowska (Polish) and Zamarstynowska Strasse (German) before WWII, and kept its historical name in Soviet and modern times, though spelling shifted to Ukrainian after 1991.

Korniakt Tower and Dormition Church at Ruska Street, Lviv — The **Korniakt Tower and Dormition Church (Uspenska Tserkva)** on **Ruska Street**—known as:
- Ukrainian: вулиця Руська (Vulytsia Ruska, “Ruthenian Street”)
- Polish: ulica Ruska (“Ruthenian Street”)
- Russian: Русская улица (Russkaya ulitsa, “Russian Street”)
- German: Ruthenische Gasse (“Ruthenian Alley”)

This area has been called Ruska since medieval times and remains a center of Lviv’s Ruthenian/Ukrainian heritage. The Renaissance bell tower, completed in 1578, and the green-domed church are some of the city’s most important historical and religious landmarks.

Former City Municipal Savings Bank, corner of Svobody Avenue and Valova Street, Lviv — Reflection of the early 20th-century City Municipal Savings Bank (Міська Муніципальна Ощадна Каса) at the intersection of **Svobody Avenue** and **Valova Street**—one of Lviv’s architectural landmarks.

Svobody Avenue: проспект Свободи (Ukrainian, since 1991), Галицкая улица (Galitskaya, Russian, Soviet era), ul. Legionów (Polish), Galizische Strasse (German/Austrian)

Valova Street: вулиця Валова (Ukrainian), Валовая улица (Valovaya, Russian), ul. Wałowa (Polish), Wallstrasse (German)

In Soviet times, "Svobody Avenue" was called Lenin Avenue (Проспект Ленина); its southern end near Halytska Square was known as Galitskaya Street (Улица Галицкая).

Potocki Palace Atlantes sculptures, Lviv, Kopernyka Street — A close-up of one of the ornate side entrances of Lviv’s **Potocki Palace (Палац Потоцьких, Pałac Potockich)**, distinguished by its dramatic Atlantes sculptures supporting a decorative balcony. While the main entrance of the palace is more widely photographed, these striking baroque figures can be found at a secondary entrance on Kopernyka Street, showcasing the opulent style of this 19th-century aristocratic residence.
Built in the 1880s for the Polish noble Potocki family, this palace is now home to the Lviv Art Palace.
Street names: Kopernyka Street (Ukrainian: вулиця Коперника), formerly ul. Potockiego (Polish), Kopernikusgasse (German/Austrian).

Boim Chapel with Lviv Town Hall in the background — View of the ornate **Boim Chapel (Каплиця Боїмів, Kaplytsia Boimiv)** with its richly decorated Mannerist stone facade, located on Katedralna Square in Lviv’s old town. In the background rises the Lviv Town Hall (Ратуша, Ratusz), a historic centerpiece of Rynok Square. The Boim Chapel was built between 1609–1615 as a family mausoleum, while the present Town Hall tower dates to 1835. This perspective highlights the close proximity of two iconic landmarks, each reflecting a different era in Lviv’s architectural history.

Soviet-era movie billboard and street scene, central Lviv — Early 1980s view of central Lviv, showing a woman in uniform cleaning the cobblestone sidewalk beneath a large Soviet-era film billboard advertising the movie “Безумство” (“Madness”). The location is Prospekt Svobody (then Lenin Avenue, проспект Леніна), near the Lviv Opera House and former Hotel George.

Quiet cobblestone street in old Lviv with view to Dominican Church — A peaceful cobblestone street is lined with classic Austro-Hungarian style residential buildings, with some pigeons in the foreground and a car in the mid-20th century style. In the background rises the **Baroque Dominican Church (now the Church of the Holy Eucharist)**, one of Lviv’s iconic landmarks.

Korniakt House (built 1580) and statue on Rynok Square, Lviv — The photo captures Lviv’s Rynok Square with the **Korniakt House** (built in 1580 by Greek merchant Konstanty Korniakt) in the background—a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture known for its elegant arcaded courtyard. It served as a residence for Polish royalty, including King Jan III Sobieski. In front, the **Adonis Fountain**—one of four mythological fountains created by Hartman Witwer in the early 1800s—adds to the square’s historic character.

Dominican Church and Bell Tower, Lviv — The photo shows the striking **Dominican Church** and its bell tower, one of Lviv’s architectural icons. The present church, built in Baroque style between 1749–1764, replaced an earlier Gothic structure that had stood here since the 14th century. The Dominican Church has served various communities over the centuries—Catholic, Greek Catholic, and now houses a museum of religion—reflecting Lviv’s rich multicultural past. Tram tracks curving in the foreground recall the city’s enduring tradition of electric trams.

Soviet-era buses and Korniakt Bell Tower, Pidvalna Street, Lviv — Winter scene from Soviet-era Lviv, with classic 1970s buses and the Korniakt Bell Tower (Колокольня Корнякта), built in 1578, of the Dormition Church (Успенская церковь) rising above Pidvalna Street (ул. Подвальная). The old city wall (городская стена) on the right recalls Lviv’s medieval defenses.

Soviet-era Lviv street with Korniakt Tower in background — Soviet Lviv: A rainy day on Pidvalna Street (ул. Подвальная), with vintage cars and a view toward the Korniakt Bell Tower (Колокольня Корнякта) in the distance.

Soviet-era Lviv street with tram and cars — A view of a typical Lviv street during the Soviet period, featuring cobblestone pavement, vintage trams, and classic Soviet cars. The architecture and transport reflect daily life in the city during the late 20th century.

Soviet Lviv Valova Street with cars and Dormition Church — Valova Street (ул. Валовa) in Soviet Lviv, showing a bustling street with a classic Soviet trolleybus, 1970s–80s cars, and the distant dome of the Dormition Church. The "BISTRO" sign and trolleybus reflect everyday urban life in this era.

Lviv Opera House on vintage Soviet postcard — Vintage 1970s postcard of the **Lviv Opera House (Львівська Опера)** on Svobody Avenue. Completed in 1900, this Neo-Renaissance landmark is one of Lviv’s most iconic buildings and a symbol of the city’s cultural heritage. The postcard features city names in Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish.

Mickiewicz Square and Dnister Hotel, Lviv, Soviet era — **Mickiewicz Square (Площа Міцкевича/Площадь Мицкевича)** in central Lviv during the 1970s Soviet era, showing the ornamental fountain and the **George Hotel Annex(Флигель гостиницы Жорж) building** (a wing of the historic **Hotel George**, expanded in the 1950s). The square was a major urban hub, named for the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz since the late 19th century, and remains one of the city’s most recognizable public spaces.

Lviv Central Bus Station, Soviet Modernism — Lviv’s **Central Bus Station (Автовокзал)**, built in the late 1970s, is a striking example of Soviet modernist architecture. Its bold, sweeping curves and concrete forms were designed to symbolize progress and movement. Located on Stryiska Street, this station became a major transport hub connecting Lviv to destinations across Ukraine and beyond.

Hotel Lviv and Yaroslav Galan monument in Soviet Lviv — Soviet-era postcard of central Lviv showing the modernist **Hotel Lviv (Готель Львів/Гостиница Львов)**, opened in 1965, alongside the monument to **Yaroslav Galan (Ярослав Галан)**, a Soviet Ukrainian writer and political activist. The hotel’s high-rise design dominated the skyline, while the Galan statue (installed 1972, removed 1992) became a symbol of the era.

Soviet-era Lenin monument in front of Lviv Opera House, 1970s — The Lenin monument stood prominently on Prospekt Lenina (now Svobody Avenue), right in front of Lviv Opera House from 1952 to 1990, marking Soviet influence in the city. The opera house, built in 1900, remains a key landmark, while the monument was removed as Ukraine moved toward independence.

Monument of Glory, Soviet war memorial, Lvov — Monument of Glory(Пам'ятник Слави/Памятник Славы) in Soviet Lviv (1970–2019), honoring Red Army soldiers of World War II. Located on Stryiska Street(улица Стрыйская / вулиця Стрийська), the memorial’s statues of a soldier and a woman symbolized victory and peace. The monument was dismantled in 2019.

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